1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for dispensing liquid and is particularly directed to apparatus and process for applying paints, coating agents, impregnating agents, insulating agents, adhesives, lacquers, plastics and like liquid spreadable preparations.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and process for the purpose of carrying out the dispensing of liquid preparations in a substantially more efficient manner as compared with the methods hitherto customary for this purpose. This means that the application of spreadable preparations can take place more economically and more uniformly and without processing losses, at a predetermined layer thickness of the coating. Moreover, for reasons of occupational health and environmental pollution it is intended to restrict the evolution of noxious vapours when using preparations which contain organic solvents. Furthermore, the new apparatus should also be suitable for coating large areas both outside and inside, for example in shipping, on tanks and in the rust-prevention sector. In addition, no wearing parts should be present in the apparatus as far as possible. The apparatus should be very reliable in operation, not require any motor, not cause any noise and be simple to operate and to maintain. According to the invention, the apparatus should, however, also be suitable for conveying liquids of any type, for example the conveying of beer from the storage cellar into the taproom of liquid media on building sites and of fuel oil from a storage room at a lower position to the oil furnace located at a higher level.
Thus, the surface treatment of pipes in industrial plants or other surfaces which are complicated with respect to painting technology, is in general carried out by spreading the paint using a brush. An application method of this type, in which the painter must first dip the brush into the paint container and then spread the paint onto the surface, is not only extremely time-consuming, but it can lead to direct or long-term bodily injuries--caused by a frequently very awkward working position. Additionally, pipes and similar complicated objects to be painted are frequently laid at a fairly high level or in localities within difficult access, so that the working procedure is made more difficult by often dangerous climbing and laborious transports of the paint containers.
An application method which is fairly frequently used and is efficient, consists in spraying the paint, but this method is rather unsuitable for painting complicated surfaces. An essential disadvantage is that the paint must frequently be transported over considerable distances and large level differences so that the paint pumps must have a disproportionate size.
A particular advantage of the apparatus and process of the present invention is that it is possible to apply not only preparations consisting of a single component, but also two-component and multi-component preparations, without having to produce a premix. Finally, it is also possible to produce and to apply controllable mixtures of preparations in different colour shades.